Cry for Help
by suckerforasmile
Summary: Greg is upset by the news Grissom told him. Nick wants to help. Slash, NickGreg, post Empty Eyes. Indefinite hiatus.


Title: Cry for Help  
Author: suckerforasmile  
Summary: Greg's upset by the news Grissom told him. Post Empty Eyes, Nick/Greg.  
Rating: Uhh...PG-13, I suppose...nothing bad happens.

---

Nick Stokes hardly ever saw a case that made nearly the entire team melancholy. Sure, it happened from time to time, but normally someone would stay happy and content through it.

The showgirls case changed that. The lab - which he normally found light and bouncy despite their career and purpose - had seemed as though millions of light bulbs had burnt out and one person was always crying in the locker room during breaks.

But he figured it was over now, seeing as they solved the case and everything would (should) be back to normal again. He muttered solemn goodbyes to his coworkers, casting a glance at Grissom and Sara. They were a lot closer than normal, and hadn't even noticed he had passed them.

He shook his head. Probably just the case getting to Sara again. He pushed open the door to the locker room and was hit by a sudden, loud wave of sobbing. He had said goodbye to both Catherine and Warrick, Grissom and Sara were still outside...which left...

"Greg?" he called cautiously. The noise stopped and Nick automatically felt bad for even bringing it up. He probably didn't want Nick to know he was crying - most guys thought it was an unmanly thing to do. Nick couldn't really care less. "Greg, are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah, I..." there was a sniffle as Nick rounded the corner. He was met with a sad grin and teary eyes. "It's nothing," he added quickly, seeing the look of concern on the level three's face.

"Then why were you crying?" he pushed gently, leaning against his locker. Greg was a mere three feet away from him; far enough so it wouldn't be awkward, but close enough so Nick could offer his comfort if given the chance. "If it was nothing, you shouldn't've been crying,"

Greg laughed - it sounded odd and hollow to Nick's ears - and shook his head. "I just...two point five million dollars...they...the civil suit...I..." and the sobbing was back. Nick could only slightly make out the next mutilated words, but guessed what it meant. Grissom had told him earlier, but he decided that Greg probably wouldn't be comfortable with knowing he knew just yet.

"What happened?" Greg repeated what Grissom had told him and began sobbing at the end of the sentence. _Now or never_, Nick thought, moving from his place to sit next to Greg. He thought about hugging him but instead decided it was too much physical contact - not for him, but for Greg - at the moment and just placed a hand on his knee. "You're going to get through it. I'll even help out as much as I can. You've made it this far, you can't give up now,"

The younger CSI scoffed. "I didn't plan on giving up, I just...I don't know. Two point five million is a lot of money. I'm not sure if...I already had to pay off a lot of college funds from working as a lab tech, but...damn," he rubbed his palms against his eyes and cast a glance at Nick's hand, which was still on his knee. The Texan coughed awkwardly and pulled his hand away. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bother you. I...It's just..."

"I know, G," Nick whispered, looking up at a now standing Greg. "I know,"

Greg nodded and left the break room. Nick wondered for a moment if he should follow and tell the ex-lab rat just how much he wanted to help, but when he left the break room, the hallways were emptying of the CSIs he normally spent time with and filling with CSIs he only knew through Catherine and working with them.

With a sigh, he left the lab, ignoring Hodges babbling to his left and ignoring the goodbyes that surrounded him. He arrived home and fell asleep almost instantly.

He was awoken by a sobbing Greg on the phone at four in the morning. He managed not to sound bitter about the younger male waking him up at a time he should really be sleeping, and either he did or Greg didn't seem to notice.

Nick heard a sneeze and then a quiet "can you come over? Please?" before he climbed out of bed.

"Of course I can, Greggo. Just give me a few seconds and I'll be there," he said, running a hand over his head. He had wanted to grow his hair out again, but it took so damn long and he hated it when it was as short as it was.

He arrived on Greg's doorstep fifteen minutes later, wondering why it could get him so worked up when he had at least one (probably around five) other people backing him up. He knocked on the door and rang the doorbell numerous times, but no one answered. He checked the doorknob. Unlocked. Taking a deep breath and wondering if he'd regret not taking his gun, he walked inside.

The sound of running water flowed into his ears. Greg had to have been in the shower. He let out a breath and went to what he assumed would be Greg's bathroom. He knocked again, louder than he had knocked initially on the front door, because he could now hear loud sobbing. "Greg? Greg, it's Nick, can I come in?" There was a strangled and broken 'yeah' before Nick stepped in. "You look worse and worse every time I see you,"

"It's the job," Greg said, all the normal jump and humor in his voice gone. There was a towel around his waist and, despite the situation, Nick wondered what he looked like underneath it. Greg caught him staring and just nodded slowly, giving him a smile.

Everyone knew things had happened between them. They weren't working together as much as they used to be. It wasn't fair. Sara and Grissom got to work together. Catherine and Warrick work together. Nick knew, as much as Catherine and Warrick tried to hide it, that there was something more than attraction between them. Sara and Grissom as well. And as much as Nick thought it odd, he still didn't think it was fair for the only CSIs left to be working without who, if paired up correctly, could be a couple. The words didn't even make sense in his mind.

"It's not fair," Greg suddenly mumbled. Nick raised his eyebrows and waited for an explanation. "Why're we the only two that don't get the same shift? Why can't swing just keep Cath and Warrick? Aren't they ahead of quota anyway?"

Nick shook his head. "Greg, I'd do _anything_ to get back on the same shift with you. _Anything_. But Ecklie's not cutting me any slack. I've already turned in three shift change forms," he moved to sit on the edge of the tub, next to Greg. The younger of the two tried to hide his trembling, clasping his hands together and moving them around awkwardly. "What's wrong?"

"I...I still shake. I...when I'm nervous..." Greg turned to look at Nick, finally noticing just how close he was. "...or tired..." he watched Nick swallow and wondered when he was going to break eye contact. They were so awkward when they weren't in the lab, when they weren't working. Things that would normally come to mind, things that would flag him as weird now sounded stupid and too playful.

Nick watched the struggle behind Greg's eyes, wishing he could read people better. He broke the eye contact, and, feeling guilty, looked back almost immediately. He hated things being like this. It started happening once they were put on separate shifts. He hated Ecklie and suddenly found himself wishing he would find a way to get the cactus out of his ass. Maybe that's why he was such a dick.

"I..." was all Greg could say, if you'd call the noise from his throat a voice. It was strange and soft, and Greg felt like clearing his throat. He just swallowed, afraid to break eye contact. The feeling in the pit of his stomach hadn't been around for a while, and he could just imagine what his eyes were telling him.

Fighting emotions as well, Nick stared back. He wanted to tell the former lab technician about how he felt; he knew Greg would return the feelings (if he didn't, what the hell was he doing leading him on?) and things would be okay between them. He was going to do it.

He was going to do it.

Here goes.

He opened his mouth, but found nothing could come out. Frustrated with his body, he simply sighed and held out his arms. Greg smiled and Nick could've sworn he nearly dove for the contact, but passed it off as slipping. His brain argued with him as he inhaled Greg's scent, heartbeat against heartbeat.

Greg wondered what it'd be like to fall asleep next to that heartbeat every night. Nick was thinking the same thing. There was a muffled noise against his shoulder. "Yeah?"

"I don't want to go to sleep," came Greg's repeated response. The Texan looked down at him curiously, but the top of Greg's head wasn't giving up any answers. "I...Even if I wanted to, I wouldn't be able to,"

"Why not?" Nick heard himself ask. He wondered where he gathered courage.

"Nightmares," came his soft reply. Nick nodded, somehow managing to hold Greg closer.

"Any way I can help?"

He felt Greg smile and nuzzle his face into his neck. "Well, since you asked..."

He laughed, the back of his mind wondering how such a sad situation could turn into one like this. "I'm not going to do anything weird. And I'm sure as hell not gonna sing songs until you go to sleep,"

Greg pulled away, eyebrow raised. "Weird? I'm not weird. I'm original," He decided the smartest move was to ignore the last comment, play it off like the idea _didn't_ make his stomach do flops and his heart ache for that kind of relationship with Nick.

Nick smirked, standing up, already knowing what Greg wanted. "Whatever. Weird, original...You're still crazy,"

Greg mock pouted. "And here I thought you liked me,"

Silence. Nick's mind was working faster than every, but his mouth was going so slow it had to have been losing the race to a snail. Greg realized his mistake and choked on his words.

Awkwardness ensued.

"You don't have to stay here, you know," Greg said finally. Nick noticed the pained look on his face, and began thinking he was forcing the words out. Nick felt the muscles in his neck move and realized he was shaking his head.

"I want to," his mouth said for him. Autopilot. He no longer had any say in what was going on. Had he really screwed up that much? Greg nodded and stood up, readjusting the towel around his waist.

"You're gonna have to share my bed. My couch's broken and I don't have an extra," he said, acting as if nothing had happened. He grinned at Nick and elbowed him, winking suggestively. Nick knew it was just the way Greg was, but he couldn't help but wonder how he could think things like that without blushing or stuttering excuses. All he could do was nod. "Hang on, lemme get dressed. I'll call you when you can come in...Unless you'd like to see something," he winked as he closed his door.

Nick stood behind Greg's bedroom door, suddenly feeling like a robot. Why was he so stiff? Why was everything weird between them again, right after it looked like they'd be okay? He shook his head and decided against ramming his head into the wall. Greg returned within moments and quicker than he thought possible, he was underneath blankets that smelled a lot like Greg.

And he was okay again. "I can't promise what I'll do in my sleep, Nicky, but if I start to moan out names, you're welcome to play along," there was that grin again, the lights from outside hitting his teeth. Nick smiled back and sighed, happy that things - just for the moment - were alright between them again.

---

Nick awoke two hours later in a room he couldn't remember, next to a lump of something or some_one_, in a cold sweat. He checked to make sure everything was okay before hours came back to him, awkward silences and all.

"Nicky? You awake?" came Greg's hesitant voice. Nick nodded before realizing he probably couldn't hear him and muttering out an approval. "I..."

"What? Where are you?" Nick blindly reached out and felt Greg sitting next to him. He didn't sound that close.

"I...You were talking in your sleep," Nick could only imagine how pale his face was. He was silent, leaving room for Greg to go on. "Did you know you talk in your sleep?"

"No," came Nick's reply; his voice seemed to echo in the room. "What'd I say?"

The room was quiet. "Y…You said you loved me." Nick's heart stopped. He…he said it. He said, in his sleep, that he loved Greg. Nick resisted hitting his head against the wall. "I…you love me?" Greg's voice was soft and hesitant, almost as though he didn't want to ask.

_Lie. Just lie, everything will be back to normal_, Nick thought. _This is just like that time when you screwed up with the sign language thing even though you knew what it meant._ "Yeah," _Why didn't you lie?!? You had the perfect chance, the perfect reason! Why?!?_

It was quiet again, except for the voice in Nick's head yelling at him for not doing "the right thing" by not telling Greg. He debated pulling it off as a joke when Greg never said a word; had he been wrong? Was Greg just doing their whole flirting thing back just to pass the time? He couldn't have…could he?

He opened his mouth to say something at the same time Greg shifted. And suddenly, right as the worlds came tumbling out of Nick's throat, Greg had kissed him. It caught him off guard, and it took a moment for him to realize that he couldn't exactly say anything, and another moment to realize exactly what was attached to him at the lips.

Anyone with common sense would have pulled away. But Nick had already made the mistake of telling him, and he may as well save the whole talking thing until later…Right?

So he kissed back.

----

---I'm not sure if I'm going to continue or not. There may be another chapter, but I can't promise anything. I like the idea but despite that I can't think of anything else to add…if anything, at most it'll be a three chaptered story, though it may only get to a two, if that.  
---also, there's probably some serious typos; I noticed it earlier and when I went to fix it…wellllll….I couldn't find them all. (yes I DID read through it)  
---review?


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